Behind a colorful facade on Queen's Highway in the heart of Gregory Town, the Island Made Gift Shop (tel. 242/335-5369) carries an outstanding inventory that owes its quality to owner Pamela Thompson's artistic eye and good taste. Look for one-of-a-kind paintings on driftwood or crafted on the soles of discarded shoes, handmade quilts from Androsian fabrics, Abaco ceramics, and jewelry made from pieces of glass found on the beach. There are extraordinary woven baskets made by the descendants of Seminole Indians and escaped slaves living in remote districts of Andros Island. Especially charming are bowls crafted from half-sections of conch shells.
Dedicated surfers have come here from as far away as California and Australia to test their skills at Surfers Beach, 4km (2 1/2 miles) south of Gregory Town on the Atlantic side. The waves are at their highest in winter and spring; even if you're not brave enough to get out there, it's fun to watch.
South of town on the way to Hatchet Bay are several caverns worth visiting, the largest of which is simply called The Cave. It has a big fig tree out front, which Gregory Town's people claim was planted long ago by pirates who wanted to conceal the cave because they had hidden treasure in it.
Local guides (to get one, ask around in Gregory Town or Hatchet Bay) will take you into the cave's interior, where the resident bats are harmless even though they must resent the intrusion of tourists with flashlights. At one point, the drop is so steep -- about 3.5m (11 ft.) -- that you have to use a ladder to climb down. Eventually, you reach a cavern ornamented with stalactites and stalagmites. A maze of passageways leads off through the rocky underground recesses. The cave comes to an abrupt end at the edge of a cliff, where the thundering sea crashes around some 27m (89 ft.) below.
If you drive north out of Gregory Town, you'll come to the famed Glass Window, Eleuthera's chief sight and narrowest point. Once, a natural rock arch bridged the land, but it's gone now, replaced by an artificially constructed bridge. As you drive across it, pay attention to the contrast between the deep-blue ocean of the sound's windward side and the emerald-green shoal waters of its leeward side. The rocks rise to a height of 21m (69 ft.).
Often, as ships in the Atlantic are being tossed about, their crews look across the narrow point to see a ship resting quietly on the other side, hence the name Glass Window. Artist Winslow Homer was so captivated by this spot that he captured it on canvas.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
